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By: Marveluz
Lansang
Charlotte Pilande
and
Dalit Lobrin

Values are the expressions of the ultimate
ends, goals, or purposes of social action. They
are society’s moral imperatives that deal with
what ought to be, and are therefore considered
desirable and important by the members of
society. In contrast to social norms, values are
general in nature (Popenoe 1947). Values
influence a person’s behavior towards a large
class of objects or person’s although they are not
related to any specific object, person, or group
(Banks and Clegg 1973:445-446).

“Not only material goods but also ideals and
concepts are values, such as truth, honesty and
justice. For instance, if truth is a value for us, it
commands n us an inner commitment which in
turn translates itself into our daily speech and
action. Truth is good and desirable: therefore, it
influences our attitude and behavior.”
On the other hand, The Southeast Asian
Research Advisory Group (1987:9) defined vaues
as standards and principles for judging what is
correct or incorrect behavior, what is worth
attaining or not attaining, what is desirable or
undesirable.

These values may be terminal (end state)
or instrumental (mode of behavior).

Human Behavior
is judge by the standards of good and
bad.

Values cannot be readily identified since
they are abstractions from reality. One has to
deduce these values from social action.

To identify the values operative in a given
society, one may apply the four-fold test of Robin
Williams(1970:448).

Extensiveness- when the value is recognized by a
representative number of people within the society.
Duration- when the value has been shared and
practiced in common for some time;
Intensity- when the value involves the emotions and
is taken seriously and sought after by many; and
Prestige of its carrier- when the value provides
ready-made means for judging social worth of persons
or groups who share or practice it.

The Filipinos of the last quarter of the 20th century are
the sum total of the social strains and cultural elements that are
Aeta, Indonesian, Malaysian, Hindu, Arabian, Chinese, Spanish,
Americans; in short, the Filipinos are cosmopolitan in nature.
They are both oriental and occidental.
From the early trade and commerce and
intermarriages between our Filipino ancestors and Chinese and
Hindu merchants, as well as the wave of settlements of other
Asian neighbors into the country, the oriental side of the Filipino
has evolved. Interpersonal and social relationships revolve
around “blood ties”, marriage, and ritual kinship.

Spanish and American culture compose the Filipino’s
occidentalism . Spain introduced Roman Catholicism, the
encomienda, galleon trade, fiesta, parochial school, municipal
building, village plaza and compadre system. Spain
emphasize the spiritual aspects of life and the preparation for
life after death. This has set the foundation for the
contemporary Filipino attitude towards devorce, birth control
legislation, fiesta and ceremony, gambling along with
involvement in charitable activities and the faithful
attendance of mass (anis 1964:20).
The compadre system initiated the Filipino into the
practice of extended families and this has serve to strengthen
the notorious practice of nepotism and favoritism in the social
spheres. On the other hand, oppressive policies of the Spanish
colonizers, such as forced labor to build their ships and
churches, developed in the Filipino a hatred for manual labor.

The Americanization of the Filipino consisted mainly of
the introduction of democratic system of government. The
Americans also popularized education as the most essential
channel for social mobility and introduced the English language
as the medium of instruction in the school system which they
established in the Philippines. The Americans further infused
new ideals pertaining to the family, economy, government,
education, religion, recreation, and health and welfare. Finally,
the Americans also introduced into the Filipino way of life the
values of materialism and consumerism.
In recent years, the Filipino has been exposed to a wide
variety of and often conflicting cultural elements from mass
education, mass media, educational, exchange programs,
economic and diplomatic exchange missions, religious pilgrimages
and missionary work, socio-economic developmental programs,
multinational business and industrial establishments, increased
overseas employment and the balikbayan program.

The program draws inspiration from the 1986 EDSA
Revolution and the 1987 Philippines Constitution with its vision
of “a just and humane society” calling for a shared culture and
commonly held values, such as “truth, justice, freedom, love,
equality and peace”.
In all these situations, Filipino have displayed
remarkable adaptability, resulting in a “many-sided” cultural
heritage, for whatever elements in Filipino culture were
borrowed had been “Filipinized” and in the process had
become distinctly Filipino(Corpuz 1965:5-6) it has also resulted
in a dichotomous outlook-oriental and occidental. They are
pulled in a opposite directions by non-rationalism and
rationalism, by personalism and impersonalism, by
particularism and universalism, by nationalism and
internationalism.

The philosophy of life implied in non-rationalism
revolves around the idea that man has to adapt himself to
nature and to forces outside of himself. Non-rationalism
involves an uncritical acceptance, reverence, and protection
of traditions and rituals.
Rationalism, involves a belief that by systematic
planning, studying, and training, one can actively control and
manipulate his or her destiny. The rational person is future-
oriented rather than present or past-oriented. His or her
thoughts and actions are characteristically scientific-oriented,
continuously guided by curiosity, observation and
experimentation. He or she gives high priority to self-
expression and creativity over group conformity and security.

Filipinos have been influenced by western rationalism,
although they are still fundamentally non-rational. They still
view the world as one over which they have little or no control;
success or failure is largely dependent upon supernatural being
or spirits. This is revealed in the expression “bahala na.”
Filipinos often say this expression when about to perform a
particular task which may be difficult to accomplish, given a
certain set of circumstances. However, the “bahala na”
expression also underlies the Filipinos’ determination, courage,
fortitude, and willingness to face danger. It is the reason for
their readiness to accept and bear the consequences of
difficulties in life-the source of their patience or tiyaga. The
Filipino’s “bahala na” mentality has led to a lack of foresight,
contentment with the past, indolence, and a lack of initiative,
self-reliance or pioneering spirit.

They are regarded as segurista that is, they demand a
demonstration of assured success. They are imitative(gaya-
gaya) and such imitativeness gives rise to what Alfredo
Roces(1964:4) identified as emphasis in façade, palabas,
pakitang-tao, pagyayabang. The “bahala na” mentality has
also led to lack of punctuality, vulnerability to awa,
dependence on the espiritista, the mangkukulam or witch.
Other Filipino expressions of this orientalism are found
in phrases such as “itinalagang Diyos,” “iginuhit ng tadhana,”
“gulong ng palad”(life has its ups and downs, or life is like a
wheel of fortune), “malas”(badluck), and “napasubo”(forced
into something).
Filipino’s are also inclined to status-oriented behavior,
hiya(shame), utang na loob(debt of gratitude), amor
propio(self-steem), and SIR identified by Fr. Lynch(1962:82-89)
as the desire for smooth interpersonal relations.

Felipe Landa Jocano(1965:32-56) and Robert Fox(1956) reveal
that child-rearing practices emphasize obedienceto elders.Fr.
Bulatao(1962:32-44) also states that the Filipino is
authoritarian, even dictatorial, when given power and makes
known to everyone the fact that he is boss. Ruben Santos
Cuyugan(1961:9-13) points to the predominance of paternalism
in formal organizations.
Filipinos are also shame-oriented, that is, their major
concern is social approval, acceptance by a group, and
belonging to a group. Their behavior is generally dependent on
what others will think, say or do. Hiya still controls much of the
Filipino’s behavior.
Amor propio is high self-esteem and is shown in the
sensitivity of a person to hurt feelings and insults, real or
imagined. This manifested in hiya, utang na loob, and SIR.

Persons resort to SIR patterns, such as the use of polite
language, soft voice, gentle manner, and indirect approaches
like employing intermediaries, and euphemisms and ambiguous
expressions, all of which are intended to avoid directness or
frankness. Pakikisama is good public relations or the avoidance
of open disagreement or conflict with others. Utang na loob
refers to a debt of gratitude for a favor or help extended to a
person which is impossible to quantity.
Forms of amor propio are behavior patterns such as
hele-hele bago quire or pakipot, which requires that a person
initially refuse an offer even if he or she is subjected to more
prodding and; delicadesa, which means conformity with the
ethical practices or expectations of the group.
Fr. Bulatao(1962:32-44) also believes that the training in
the Filipino female. This results in a double standard of morality
and the consensus that a woman’s principal duty is attending to
the home.

Personalism attaches major importance to
personal factor which guaranties intimacy, warmth
and security of kinship, and friendship in getting things
done.
Impersonalism refers to the tendency to
eliminate the influence of friendship or kinship in
working situations. Behavior is depersonalized,
standarized, or institutionalized.
Santos Cuyugan(1961:124-125) says that many
Filipinos are still personalistic in spite of the rise of
impersonalism in the urban areas. This is evident in the
frequent charges of nepotism, favoritism, and
particularism hurled against people in government.

Fr. Bulatao has observed the deterring effect of
personalism on the economic, social, and political growth of
Philippine society. He believes that the Filipino way of doing
things is centered too much in personalities. Filipinos persist in
settling matters in a roundabout way. They resort to
pakiusap, areglo, and lakad which weakens the merit system
in employment.

Where a person’s concern is centered on sub-groups
made up of relatives, friends, colleagues, associates, religious
affiliates or members of his or her ethnic regional group in
the larger society to which he or she belongs, that individual
is particularistic. When one’s main concern is the
advancement of collective or national good, he or she is
universalistic.

Nationalism is the advocacy of making ones’ own nation
distinct and separate from others in intellectual, social, cultural,
economic, political, and moral matters. It is the feeling of
oneness among the nationals who seek to establish the identity
and the good of the nation in these matters. Nationalism is a
philosophy or a doctrine of what a country is, what its goals are,
and how it is to achieve these goals.
Nationalism can be a factor for either evil or good. If
carried to its extreme, it may take the form of ethnocentrism, or
racism, or of xenophobia.
As a sentiment, nationalism has either strongly swept nor
deeply penetrated the entire nation. In fact, as some observers
say, the Philippines suffers from “national amnesia” and
“colonial mentality”. Filipinos have a strong preference for
imported goods and easily adapt themselves to foreign ideas
and ways.

Awareness and understanding of contemporary values
in society will put us in a better position to determine what we
gain or lose in a predominantly Gemeinschaft society
characterized by intimate, informal, reciprocal, and war social
and interpersonal relations stemming fro non-rationalism,
personalism, and particularism, or in a predominantly
Gesselschaft society characterized by anonymity, formality,
contractualism, and coldness arising from rationalism,
impersonalism, and universalism.

In 1986, the department of Education, Culture and
Sports embarked on a Values Education Framework to provide
and promote values education at all levels of the educational
system. Its goal is the development of the human person
committed to the building of a “just a humane society” and an
independent and democratic nation.

Proper implementation of the program that
will develop Filipinos who:
1. are self-actualized, integrally developed human beings
imbued with a sense of human dignity;
2. are social beings with a sense of responsibility for their
community and environment;
3. are productive persons who contribute to the economic
security and development of the family and the nation;
4. as citizens, have a deep sense of nationalism, and are
committed to the progress of the nation as well as of the
entire world community through global solidarity; and
5. Manifest in actual life an abiding faith in God as a
reflection of his or her spiritual being.

Values education, pursued at the national,
regional, local, and institution levels, are
guided by the ff. general principles:
1. it must be oriented toward the total person of the learner-
mind, heart and entire being.
2. it must take into consideration the unique role of the
family in one’s personal development and integration into
society and the nation.
3. in the school context, more important than lessons plans
and listed values are the teachers themselves who have the
proper sense of values, awareness of their inner worth, and
utmost respect for the person of the other.

The DECS framework should be of help in these task.
The DECS framework ay also serve as a frame of reference
in the reformation and revision of operative Filipino values.
For instance, against the background of the framework,
pakikisama should be seen as something to be prized.
Similarly, utang na loob, should have wider application in
society, so that it can propel other values such as concern for
the common good and social justice.

The Human Person
The Values Education Program Framework is based
on rational under-standing, that is to say, a philosophy of
the human person. It may be reconstructed from the
various statements of the Constitution and expressed in the
following manner.

The human person is the subject of education.
The human person is multi-dimensional.
The human person is not just body and soul
juxtaposed or mixed like oil and water but is an
embodied spirit. Hence, his of her physical, intellectual,
moral and spiritual well-being is recognized by the
State.
As a physical being, the human being has material
needs.
The human person is inevitably social.
He or she belongs to a family, that basic unit of
society or, in the words of the Constitution, “the
foundation of the nation”, as well as to a wider and
more complex society of men and women.
He or she is also economic.
Lastly, the human being is political.

On the basis of the foregoing philosophy of
the human person, the supreme and overarching
value that characterizes education is human
dignity: the human person is of infinite value.
As physical(made of matter),
As spiritual(capable of higher concerns and of
rising above the material)
As intellectual(gifted with mind, the faculty of
knowing)
As moral(endowed with the faculty of freely
choosing and loving)

The following are values pertaining to the
person as self. These values are actualized in
society.
1.Health
2.Truth
3.Love
4.Spirituality
5.Social responsibility
6.Economic efficiency
7.Nationalism
8.Global solidarity

As a social being(living in a community)
As economic(bound to concerns of livelihood)
As political(member of the nation)

1. Health implies physical fitness and cleanliness.
2. Truth implies the tireless quest for knowledge in all its forms.
3. The moral nature of the human being places primacy in the
value of love.
4. Human existence
5. Social responsibility
6. Economic efficiency is achieved by people through work.
7. The spirit of nationalism and patriotism means love of
country. Its people has a distinct political unit bound by a
common history(the past), committed to a common
cause(the present), and sharing a common destiny(the
future).

Translating the Values Education Framework
into Programs
The foregoing values education framework provides
the parameters for the development of programs at the
national, regional, division, district, and school levels. Some
guidelines at the policy and implementation levels are offered
here:
1. Establish school-community linkages and networks.
2. Maximize the use of community, human, and material
resources.
3. Consolidate efforts of both government and non-
government agencies and institutions for the purpose of
minimizing costs and maximizing results.

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